The state was the birthplace of many men and woman of renown including Pearl S. Buck, General Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson, General Chuck Yeager, John Henry the "steel drivin' man," and Don Knotts.
Since 1928, West Virginia has generally voted mostly for Democratic candidates when a new President was being elected. However, the voters did help reelect some Republican presidents such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. In 2000, for the first time since 1928, a Republican presidential candidate, George W. Bush, won the voters of state's 5 electoral votes. President Bush won West Virginia helped put a new Republican into the White Houseagain in 2004.
DHersman